COTCOD VOL 41 - DIVERGENCE
by saruviel
Summary: Chronicles of the Children of Destiny Volume Forty-One - Divergence. The Taylor/Clearwater saga. Will be gradually expanded upon.


THE 1400 - WORLD 9 - DIVERGENCE

Taylor

(FOR Taylor Swift)

Chapter One

Taylor was a good girl. A princess. She believed in bunny rabbits, and fairy tales, and prince charmings and kings and queens and her mommy and daddy. And Santa Claus was a big deal at Christmas.

When she was 15 she met Abigail. Abby was perfect to Taylor, with her red hair, and good looks.

And then she turned 21 and she was Queen of the world.

'Taylor. Are you ready? The show starts in 5 minutes. Come on, girl. We gotta hurry. It's your biggest audience yet?'

'Sure. Be right there,' responded Miss Swift.

Here she was – New York – Madison Square Garden. The biggest night of her life. The president was out there, with his wife. So many of her best friends, so many were here, for the biggest night of her life. And she was ready.

But then, an angel dropped into her room, and whispered to her heart.

'THERE'S MORE.'

And, Taylor. Sensing something greater than even this night before her, went into the wardrobe, found sunglasses, a leather jacket and a red skirt, grabbed her purse with her cards and, stealing out the hidden back door, disappeared into her porche, destination unknown.

She was at JFK. She had a ticket, to Australia, to Sydney. She was going to escape, now. She had earned it. She had many lifetimes of money in her account, an email address to mom and dad, and the plan in mind. 'Sorry boss. I have gone incognito. Will check in eventually – it might be a decade or so – you never know.'

And Taylor was gone.

Chapter Two

Sydney was big. She liked living in big cities. Getting away from mean guys. But she heard of Canberra from a girl at a café. Said it had a beautiful spirit. A big country town, so she said. Taylor decided to go and check it out.

She took a bus trip down, found the scenery wild and uncompromising. But Australia and Australians were like that. Tough and hard, but with hearts of gold.

She got to Canberra, the Jolimont centre, still in her red skirt and sunglasses. She knew even here she would be recognized, so would be careful. She didn't have a minder with her, and didn't want one. She was starting again, for now. A brave new life. A fearless step for a fearless girl.

She did the mall in Woden that afternoon, realized she was tired, and booked into the nearby hotel. And, drinking a coke, eating a takeaway pizza, she watched the inhouse TV, put it on the country music channel, and laughed as she was the second song on.

She dreamed that night. She was in a field, like no other she had ever been to or felt. It was Australia, so it seemed. But some strange place. And then there was a river, and a picnic grounds, and people walking around. And she heard the name 'Pine Island' mentioned, and she felt different here. And then it struck her heart – love was in this place. Pure and honest love. And the deepest heart of salvation.

Chapter Three

She found Lanyon valley, and Gordon, and rented her home there. It was a simple place, and her credit cards were good enough I.D. She had been to the American embassy last month and gone through the procedures for becoming a permanent resident of Australia. The government had just approved her because of her fame and excellent earnings potential. And now she was house-hunting.

She moved in to the place, filled it with all her new stuff within a week, and zonked out.

It was time to do nothing. To be nothing but Taylor Swift. To be who she really was, not just the image she portrayed to the world. To be just a girl, in a big old city, living her simple life, doing her simple stuff.

She saw the advertisement in the local paper – Isabella Plains Newsagent, Counter person required. She didn't need the work, but wanted to do something. She applied. She got it. They agreed she could wear sunglasses and dress daggily so as not to attract attention to herself. Nobody knew she was here, and the owners were a Chinese couple who didn't recognize her. She would remain anonymous.

Chocolate cookies were nice, especially with ice cream, but how much could a girl take? She had zonked out for months now, put on a bit of weight, but she didn't care. She was hear for a real holiday, and didn't want to have to conform to the image of Supergirl forever. But she was nearing the end of her slack holiday – she would watch her weight now.

She worked casual hours – a few a week. She met new people, new faces, and smiled at them. Sometimes they looked at her a bit funnily, but nobody said anything. She was safe.

She found a rubiks cube at the shops and, deciding to dedicate herself to solving it, she would watch the country music videos on pay tv every afternoon, while working out how to get more than just one side. She knew there were cheat books, but that was not Taylor Swift's way. She didn't cheat at anything. She would solve this for herself.

Ralph was a kelpie. A lovely brown dog, a little puppy, and she had named him immediately. She fell in love with Ralph, and over the next few months as he grew, they went on many an adventure around Lanyon.

And then, one day, on a long walk into Greenway, she saw the sign with 'Pine Island', followed it out of curiousity, and found the source of her dream. It was unchanged – the same. It was amazing.

Chapter Four

Daniel was a solo dude. He liked girls – that much he admitted to himself. And despite the sneaking suspicion that he felt some people might have thought he might have been gay, he wasn't. He just didn't have much of a sex drive and didn't seem to go for the girls in a major way. He was 38, had had brief friendships with those of the opposite sex, but never anything too serious. He was a single guy, and had presumed he would always stay that way.

He had been a religious nut, was a Noahide, but had just about gotten over most of his fascination with zealotry. He had calmed down in the last few years, recovering from his early Pentecostal zeal. And he was starting to feel better about everything, being less judgemental, caring for everyone rather than just pretending to.

He had a collection of CD's. Taylor Swift CD's. He had finally gotten around to something he had wanted to for a while to avoid all the confusion in his schizophrenic mind. One artist only for music. Just one. And while Bon Jovi had been his favourite as a kid, he would rather choose a chick. It seemed more natural. And so he chose Taylor Swift, and let Love Story rule his heart.

Taylor and Ralph were at Pine Island again. It was late summer, still hot enough to swim, and she was in her bikini in the water, Ralph on the shore, in a quiet southern part of the river. Nobody was around and she dared herself to swim naked for a while. She put her bikini next to Ralph and jumped in in her birthday suit.

She felt alive swimming there. Natural. Like Eve herself. Nobody to see her. Nobody to care. And it was wonderful.

Chapter Five

'Yes boss. No, I won't be coming home soon. Yes boss, I am writing new songs. No, there won't be any videos. I will record in my home. I have a basic studio in one of the rooms. You can master the tapes in the US. Use my old photos for the artwork, etc. Release whatever single you like – do the videos from old footage. No, I won't say were I am. No, I'm not coming back. Taylor Swift is officially a recluse. If you see mom tell her I love her again. Bye,' and she hung up.

She was in the back yard. Songs had been flowing well, and she was happy. But she missed her men, and hadn't had anything like that happening yet here in Australia. But she didn't want it to yet. She wanted to wait a few years, for age to catch up with her, to be less noticeable that she was Taylor Swift. For now she would record her music, live her life, and let love catch up with her in God's good time.

4 years passed. She had died her hair black. She looked different. She went out now, without the sunnies, and nobody noticed her. She didn't change her name, but never used her surname with anyone.

And then, one day she was at Pine Island, swimming far down south, near Lanyon, naked again, when a guy suddenly appeared in board shorts, jumping in to the river. She was quiet and he didn't notice her, but he slowly waded downstream a little and found her near the rock.

'I'm naked if you don't mind. Could you go out, please,' she said to him.

Daniel looked at her, saw her breasts in the water, which she covered quickly and nodded to her.

'Sorry, I didn't know,' he said, and got out.

She quickly scampered for her bikini, put it on, and wrapped her towel around her, and then found Daniel seated just away from her, looking at her. He stood after a few moments, and approached her. 'Do I know you?' he asked.

'I don't think so,' responded Taylor, in her dark hair and older looks.

'You look familiar,' he said again, but left it at that.

She stared at him for a while, but he had sat down again, looking at the river, not saying anything. He seemed ok. He didn't seem like a freak.

After about ten minutes she was feeling a little better about the company which hadn't disappeared yet. Perhaps he was a lonely guy. Liked a woman's company. He seemed a little older, but seemed cute. She decided to say hello.

'I'm Taylor. Uh, Taylor Jones,' she said.

'Hi Taylor, nice to meet you. I'm Daniel. Danny Daly.'

'Nice to meet you Daniel.' She searched for the words. 'Do you live nearby?'

'Over in Macarthur. The eastern side of Tuggeranong. I came down by the bus.'

'You don't have a car?'

'No. Too expensive.'

She smiled to herself. While she could afford any car in the world, people in the real world weren't always like that. She remembered, just then, how blessed she really was.

'What do you do, Daniel?'

'Well, I write books. About Angels. The Fabulous 'Chronicles of the Children of Destiny'. You probably haven't heard about them.

'No,' she said.

After a while she spoke again. 'Do they make money for you?'

'Not yet. I promote them on Google groups and the webhits each day have grown consistently over the last few years, but no real money yet. I am only self published and online, so it takes time. But I'm getting there. It just takes a little time. A little faith.'

'And you have to be fearless,' responded Taylor.

'Yes, you do,' responded Danny.

They went silent again. Taylor had a good look at Danny Daly. He was different, quite, gentle, but seemed to have an inner strength. She actually liked him.

Eventually she rose, grabbed Ralph's leash, and looked at him.

'Well, see you Danny Daly. Maybe we'll meet again.'

'I hope so,' responded Daniel.

Chapter Six

'You like Def Leppard!' she exclaimed.

'Love them. Have listened to them since I was about 15 or 16. Bon Jovi too. They're great. But with my schizophrenia I go psycho from time to time and destroy my CD's. So now I only listen to Taylor Swift CDs.'

Taylor almost gasped. 'Only Taylor Swift, huh? What, you have a thing for her?'

'I wish,' he responded. 'I'll never meet her. She lives in a world of Princesses and Fairy Tales. I live in the real world, were Notting Hill's are just fantasies.'

She giggled. He was funny.

'Well,' she said. 'Do you want to come over? See my place?'

'Were do you live?'

'Down in Lanyon. In Gordon.'

'Umm. Well, do you have a car? Can you give me a lift home?'

'Sure,' she responded.

When they got in the car she turned the stereo on and 'Fearless' began playing.

'Uh, maybe I'll change the CD,' she said.

Daniel looked at her then, looked at her face, and she stared at him.

He said nothing, and as they drove she could sense he was nervous. He had discovered something.

'Well, this is my living room. And, in here is the studio. I write music.'

He followed her in to the recording room, saw all the instruments, and knew what he had suspected.

Later that month Daniel was coming around most days. He never did anything. Never approached her. Never said any real compliments, apart from normal things. But she caught him, from time to time, looking at her. Smiling at her. And he spoke softly, kindly. Truly.

She was falling for him.

Chapter Seven

'I have money, you know Daniel. From my music. I can help you with your books if you like.'

'Um. Gee, well, thanks. But no, ok. I couldn't. It wouldn't be right.'

'Are you too proud to accept help from someone?'

'No,' he said. 'But I don't like you for your money.'

She said nothing after that.

It was later in the year, he was in the back yard with Ralph, and she was writing a new song. It was called 'Daniel.' Love was a major theme.

She knew, in younger years, she had a lot of boys. She knew that. This one was different. He wasn't demanding. Wasn't insistent. Let her live her own life, and didn't complain. Just loved her. Like her dog, Ralph. Just loved her.

And perhaps it shouldn't be any other way, when you found that one. Perhaps it shouldn't be any other way.

The End

Taylor 2

(For Taylor Swift)

Chapter One

'There is a heart in God. A heart eternal, a heart of love.'

'Your point,' said Taylor, turning from the set to look at Daniel her boyfriend.

'In this heart of Love, in the world of Destiny, there were matches made, partnerships, soulconnections, probably, more than soulmates. Soulmates at times, but the conclusion was not necessarily. Just someone who is meant to be there forever as well, a source of sibling affection, rather than, probably, romance in the end. Ambriel concluded as such. Let Meludiel alone in the end. Let her be. Torah, Israel's Torah, reminded him of sibling sex problems. Never quite got over that.'

'What the hell are you on about?' Asked Taylor, looking at him strangely.

'Steven is a hell of a guy.'

'Yes, uh, he is,' she said confused.

'But of all the children of God under the 7 heavens, he is NOT the one for you. He is your brother, your comforter, your strength. But being lovers is just weird.'

'Steven?'

'Your destiny soul mate. The angels of God communicate such things to me.'

She looked at him. 'You talk to Angels?'

'Sort of. They mainly talk to me. Telling me about Destiny, the heart and plans of God, which sometimes mirror reality, the real world. Like the 70 Pseudepigrapha as opposed to the Reality of the 24 Scripture Texts.'

'Huh?'

'Never mind.'

'Religion,' she said, with a smile on her face. 'It is not for a girl like me, Daniel. I like Jesus. But church is for yesteryear. A long time ago I grew up. I don't need that anymore.'

'Your values are set?'

She nodded. 'I write them all the time. They are my life story. My music. My history. Taylor Swift, unveiled to the world, for all to see.' She looked squarely at him. 'Who is your sister?'

'Kayella,' he responded.

She nodded. 'Nice name. Do you know who she is?'

'I have an idea,' and he said nothing more.

Chapter Two

She picked up the bone, and threw it down the pathway a little, and Ralph ran and grabbed it, returned to her, and was jumping around at her feet. 'Good boy,' she said, petting him.

Taylor was lonely. Daniel was gone. Off to Sydney for a few days. A miracle had happened. A publisher had found his website, asked him to come and see him about the potential of publishing his work in paperback to a much larger audience. This could be his break. His lucky break.

His books were – interesting. Sometimes very compelling. Sometimes very deep. But very sarcastic at times, which was not always her taste in things. But the latter works, now that she had read most of them, were more promising. Later on in the main saga, when it became 'The Angels Saga', there were far more colourful and deeper passages in his stories, were the characters seemed more alive than ever, more passionate, more purposeful, more real. More alive. His early work, so she felt, was him learning his trade. His new work, more professional. Probably, in truth, more publishable.

She slept with him now, from time to time. They had been very careful to start with. He didn't express any marriage ideas, and she never asked. But she liked him. Really, quite a lot. And those ideas in his books, about eternal life, and about eternal relationships – and about choosing them very, very carefully. And she felt, now, she had almost chosen him. That he was on a list, somewere in her heart, that she wouldn't quite get over. It might not ever really work out perfectly, but something might be there, in the end, when all was said and done.

Time would tell, she thought, as he said time and time again through his voluminous angelic saga.

Chapter Three

She was digging around in the garden, pulled up a toad, and looked at it.

'If I kiss you, dear old Froggy, will you turn into a handsome prince?'

A French accent responded. 'Madame Moiselle. Your prince is already here.'

She turned and there, in a most gay outfit, stood a man next to Daniel who had returned, dressed in bright yellow and pink, and looking ever the scene from yesteryear.

She stood, dusted off the dirt from her knees, and came over to see them. Daniel kissed her on the cheek and said 'This is Jacque. He is my publisher. We have a deal.'

She looked at the Frenchmen, who was gazing at her figure – quite obviously without hiding it – and took an instant disliking to him. What a jerk, she thought to herself.

'The deal?' she asked him, with eager eyes.

Jacque spoke. 'He will gain 35% for the first decade in royalties. After that we have options for renegotiating, depending on the success of the books.

'Oh,' she responded, disappointed. Daniel had wanted 45% as a minimum. 'So you are going to publish his stuff,' she asked him.

'Only if a maid as beautiful as yourself grants me the grace of her company at dinner this evening.'

Daniel spoke up. 'We are dining out later. You can come if you want.'

She eyed Jacque, who was quite obviously lusting after her, and almost said no, but to make sure nothing went wrong she said 'I'll put on my red dress. The one you like,' eyeing Jacque carefully.

That evening Jacque was all over her, yet Daniel said nothing.

'You seem so familiar,' he said with an elusive French accent. 'Like someone I know, but I just can't place.'

'I get that,' she responded, looking at the menu.

'Yes,' he continued. 'Somewhere. Somewhere I have met you. I am sure of it.' Daniel interrupted. 'Now, Taylor, I will be in Sydney for a while, available for editorial reasons for the book, and then there will be some advertising and some book signing duties. I have contributed quite a bit of my own finances for the advertising costs, which got me the deal, but the company has fitted over 90% of the real costs, including all publishing costs.

'How good is your market?' Taylor asked Jacque.

'Oh, we are a rather new publisher,' responded Jacque, with a business like look on his face. 'But the boss is a very experienced lady in the industry, and has high hopes about taking on some of the more offbeat types of fictional writings – things which just might hit a new niche. We liked Daniel's work. It's original. Angelic fantasy – not too much like his own style out there. There are comics and other things like him, but it is an underexploited market at the moment. We think his stuff has great potential.'

Taylor smiled, and touched Daniel's hand, smiling at him.

'You're an actor, aren't you?' Jacque asked her.

She shook her head. 'No, nothing like that,' she responded lying, for indeed she had been in movies.'

'MMmm,' he responded. 'I'll figure it out.'

They talked business for a while longer, and Jacque opened up more, and she found him, slowly, more tolerable. He was indeed a ladies man, but he did not push it too much. And Daniel seemed alive – glowing – in a new life. He finally had his breakthrough, and she couldn't possibly be happier for him. Not even one little bit.

Chapter Four

Taylor looked at the ring. The diamond, really, was impressive. How could she possibly say no to Daniel, beaming, down on his knees. She did, though. Say no. He didn't really complain, but accepted her decision quietly. He left it alone after that. She thought on that, his acceptance of her choice, his acceptance of her own decision, and made a little tick in her head of the things she was looking for, and left it at that.

THE END

Taylor 3

(For Taylor Swift)

Times come and times go. Seasons of life come to be and people, in time, get old. They get old. They get old.

Daniel still looked 30. He was 312. Taylor was a little younger. She didn't understand it.

Society ignored the couple now, and the few thousand others, some in Jerusalem, some scattered here and there, those with unnaturally long lives. That was just weird. The life of trees, according to Isaiah 65, some said. The elect of God.

They were believed, now, to be the powers pulling the strings in society, which was not completely true. Yes, they had influence, but it was not much more than that. The elect mostly did their own thing.

'Well,' he said, handing her the same ring, which he had done once a year at exactly the same date. Taylor looked at it, smiled, and said 'Well, you really are consistent, aren't you Daniel? But how many times do I have to say no?'

'Until you say yes,' he responded, a gentle smile on his face.

She looked then, deep into his eyes, and soul. 'Until I say yes?' she queried him.

'Until you say yes,' he responded.

And then Taylor, having made her ticks on her list for the last few centuries, finally ticking some of the final requirements on this Daniel in just the last few months, she could no longer find any further objections.

'Yes.'

And he smiled.

And they were happy.

The End

Clearwater: Taylor 1 & 2

Note: Taylor and Taylor 2 are borrowed from the 'Taylor' saga, and told again here. Taylor 3 in the Taylor saga goes off into its own saga, whereas a 'Time Conflux' which Lord Apholox (The Time Master) is aware of enters at this point and a divergence occurs. Daniel's life goes down two alternate courses, the first continuing with Taylor, the other, this work, leading into the Clearwater Saga. This conflux is later resolved at a point in both sagas, were a unifying event, arranged by Lord Apholox, brings the histories back together as one.

Chapter One

Taylor was a good girl. A princess. She believed in bunny rabbits, and fairy tales, and prince charmings and kings and queens and her mommy and daddy. And Santa Claus was a big deal at Christmas.

When she was 15 she met Abigail. Abby was perfect to Taylor, with her red hair, and good looks.

And then she turned 21 and she was Queen of the world.

'Taylor. Are you ready? The show starts in 5 minutes. Come on, girl. We gotta hurry. It's your biggest audience yet?'

'Sure. Be right there,' responded Miss Swift.

Here she was – New York – Madison Square Garden. The biggest night of her life. The president was out there, with his wife. So many of her best friends, so many were here, for the biggest night of her life. And she was ready.

But then, an angel dropped into her room, and whispered to her heart.

'THERE'S MORE.'

And, Taylor. Sensing something greater than even this night before her, went into the wardrobe, found sunglasses, a leather jacket and a red skirt, grabbed her purse with her cards and, stealing out the hidden back door, disappeared into her porche, destination unknown.

She was at JFK. She had a ticket, to Australia, to Sydney. She was going to escape, now. She had earned it. She had many lifetimes of money in her account, an email address to mom and dad, and the plan in mind. 'Sorry boss. I have gone incognito. Will check in eventually – it might be a decade or so – you never know.'

And Taylor was gone.

Chapter Two

Sydney was big. She liked living in big cities. Getting away from mean guys. But she heard of Canberra from a girl at a café. Said it had a beautiful spirit. A big country town, so she said. Taylor decided to go and check it out.

She took a bus trip down, found the scenery wild and uncompromising. But Australia and Australians were like that. Tough and hard, but with hearts of gold.

She got to Canberra, the Jolimont centre, still in her red skirt and sunglasses. She knew even here she would be recognized, so would be careful. She didn't have a minder with her, and didn't want one. She was starting again, for now. A brave new life. A fearless step for a fearless girl.

She did the mall in Woden that afternoon, realized she was tired, and booked into the nearby hotel. And, drinking a coke, eating a takeaway pizza, she watched the inhouse TV, put it on the country music channel, and laughed as she was the second song on.

She dreamed that night. She was in a field, like no other she had ever been to or felt. It was Australia, so it seemed. But some strange place. And then there was a river, and a picnic grounds, and people walking around. And she heard the name 'Pine Island' mentioned, and she felt different here. And then it struck her heart – love was in this place. Pure and honest love. And the deepest heart of salvation.

Chapter Three

She found Lanyon valley, and Gordon, and rented her home there. It was a simple place, and her credit cards were good enough I.D. She had been to the American embassy last month and gone through the procedures for becoming a permanent resident of Australia. The government had just approved her because of her fame and excellent earnings potential. And now she was house-hunting.

She moved in to the place, filled it with all her new stuff within a week, and zonked out.

It was time to do nothing. To be nothing but Taylor Swift. To be who she really was, not just the image she portrayed to the world. To be just a girl, in a big old city, living her simple life, doing her simple stuff.

She saw the advertisement in the local paper – Isabella Plains Newsagent, Counter person required. She didn't need the work, but wanted to do something. She applied. She got it. They agreed she could wear sunglasses and dress daggily so as not to attract attention to herself. Nobody knew she was here, and the owners were a Chinese couple who didn't recognize her. She would remain anonymous.

Chocolate cookies were nice, especially with ice cream, but how much could a girl take? She had zonked out for months now, put on a bit of weight, but she didn't care. She was hear for a real holiday, and didn't want to have to conform to the image of Supergirl forever. But she was nearing the end of her slack holiday – she would watch her weight now.

She worked casual hours – a few a week. She met new people, new faces, and smiled at them. Sometimes they looked at her a bit funnily, but nobody said anything. She was safe.

She found a rubiks cube at the shops and, deciding to dedicate herself to solving it, she would watch the country music videos on pay tv every afternoon, while working out how to get more than just one side. She knew there were cheat books, but that was not Taylor Swift's way. She didn't cheat at anything. She would solve this for herself.

Ralph was a kelpie. A lovely brown dog, a little puppy, and she had named him immediately. She fell in love with Ralph, and over the next few months as he grew, they went on many an adventure around Lanyon.

And then, one day, on a long walk into Greenway, she saw the sign with 'Pine Island', followed it out of curiousity, and found the source of her dream. It was unchanged – the same. It was amazing.

Chapter Four

Daniel was a solo dude. He liked girls – that much he admitted to himself. And despite the sneaking suspicion that he felt some people might have thought he might have been gay, he wasn't. He just didn't have much of a sex drive and didn't seem to go for the girls in a major way. He was 38, had had brief friendships with those of the opposite sex, but never anything too serious. He was a single guy, and had presumed he would always stay that way.

He had been a religious nut, was a Noahide, but had just about gotten over most of his fascination with zealotry. He had calmed down in the last few years, recovering from his early Pentecostal zeal. And he was starting to feel better about everything, being less judgemental, caring for everyone rather than just pretending to.

He had a collection of CD's. Taylor Swift CD's. He had finally gotten around to something he had wanted to for a while to avoid all the confusion in his schizophrenic mind. One artist only for music. Just one. And while Bon Jovi had been his favourite as a kid, he would rather choose a chick. It seemed more natural. And so he chose Taylor Swift, and let Love Story rule his heart.

Taylor and Ralph were at Pine Island again. It was late summer, still hot enough to swim, and she was in her bikini in the water, Ralph on the shore, in a quiet southern part of the river. Nobody was around and she dared herself to swim naked for a while. She put her bikini next to Ralph and jumped in in her birthday suit.

She felt alive swimming there. Natural. Like Eve herself. Nobody to see her. Nobody to care. And it was wonderful.

Chapter Five

'Yes boss. No, I won't be coming home soon. Yes boss, I am writing new songs. No, there won't be any videos. I will record in my home. I have a basic studio in one of the rooms. You can master the tapes in the US. Use my old photos for the artwork, etc. Release whatever single you like – do the videos from old footage. No, I won't say were I am. No, I'm not coming back. Taylor Swift is officially a recluse. If you see mom tell her I love her again. Bye,' and she hung up.

She was in the back yard. Songs had been flowing well, and she was happy. But she missed her men, and hadn't had anything like that happening yet here in Australia. But she didn't want it to yet. She wanted to wait a few years, for age to catch up with her, to be less noticeable that she was Taylor Swift. For now she would record her music, live her life, and let love catch up with her in God's good time.

4 years passed. She had died her hair black. She looked different. She went out now, without the sunnies, and nobody noticed her. She didn't change her name, but never used her surname with anyone.

And then, one day she was at Pine Island, swimming far down south, near Lanyon, naked again, when a guy suddenly appeared in board shorts, jumping in to the river. She was quiet and he didn't notice her, but he slowly waded downstream a little and found her near the rock.

'I'm naked if you don't mind. Could you go out, please,' she said to him.

Daniel looked at her, saw her breasts in the water, which she covered quickly and nodded to her.

'Sorry, I didn't know,' he said, and got out.

She quickly scampered for her bikini, put it on, and wrapped her towel around her, and then found Daniel seated just away from her, looking at her. He stood after a few moments, and approached her. 'Do I know you?' he asked.

'I don't think so,' responded Taylor, in her dark hair and older looks.

'You look familiar,' he said again, but left it at that.

She stared at him for a while, but he had sat down again, looking at the river, not saying anything. He seemed ok. He didn't seem like a freak.

After about ten minutes she was feeling a little better about the company which hadn't disappeared yet. Perhaps he was a lonely guy. Liked a woman's company. He seemed a little older, but seemed cute. She decided to say hello.

'I'm Taylor. Uh, Taylor Jones,' she said.

'Hi Taylor, nice to meet you. I'm Daniel. Danny Daly.'

'Nice to meet you Daniel.' She searched for the words. 'Do you live nearby?'

'Over in Macarthur. The eastern side of Tuggeranong. I came down by the bus.'

'You don't have a car?'

'No. Too expensive.'

She smiled to herself. While she could afford any car in the world, people in the real world weren't always like that. She remembered, just then, how blessed she really was.

'What do you do, Daniel?'

'Well, I write books. About Angels. The Fabulous 'Chronicles of the Children of Destiny'. You probably haven't heard about them.

'No,' she said.

After a while she spoke again. 'Do they make money for you?'

'Not yet. I promote them on Google groups and the webhits each day have grown consistently over the last few years, but no real money yet. I am only self published and online, so it takes time. But I'm getting there. It just takes a little time. A little faith.'

'And you have to be fearless,' responded Taylor.

'Yes, you do,' responded Danny.

They went silent again. Taylor had a good look at Danny Daly. He was different, quite, gentle, but seemed to have an inner strength. She actually liked him.

Eventually she rose, grabbed Ralph's leash, and looked at him.

'Well, see you Danny Daly. Maybe we'll meet again.'

'I hope so,' responded Daniel.

Chapter Six

'You like Def Leppard!' she exclaimed.

'Love them. Have listened to them since I was about 15 or 16. Bon Jovi too. They're great. But with my schizophrenia I go psycho from time to time and destroy my CD's. So now I only listen to Taylor Swift CDs.'

Taylor almost gasped. 'Only Taylor Swift, huh? What, you have a thing for her?'

'I wish,' he responded. 'I'll never meet her. She lives in a world of Princesses and Fairy Tales. I live in the real world, were Notting Hill's are just fantasies.'

She giggled. He was funny.

'Well,' she said. 'Do you want to come over? See my place?'

'Were do you live?'

'Down in Lanyon. In Gordon.'

'Umm. Well, do you have a car? Can you give me a lift home?'

'Sure,' she responded.

When they got in the car she turned the stereo on and 'Fearless' began playing.

'Uh, maybe I'll change the CD,' she said.

Daniel looked at her then, looked at her face, and she stared at him.

He said nothing, and as they drove she could sense he was nervous. He had discovered something.

'Well, this is my living room. And, in here is the studio. I write music.'

He followed her in to the recording room, saw all the instruments, and knew what he had suspected.

Later that month Daniel was coming around most days. He never did anything. Never approached her. Never said any real compliments, apart from normal things. But she caught him, from time to time, looking at her. Smiling at her. And he spoke softly, kindly. Truly.

She was falling for him.

Chapter Seven

'I have money, you know Daniel. From my music. I can help you with your books if you like.'

'Um. Gee, well, thanks. But no, ok. I couldn't. It wouldn't be right.'

'Are you too proud to accept help from someone?'

'No,' he said. 'But I don't like you for your money.'

She said nothing after that.

It was later in the year, he was in the back yard with Ralph, and she was writing a new song. It was called 'Daniel.' Love was a major theme.

She knew, in younger years, she had a lot of boys. She knew that. This one was different. He wasn't demanding. Wasn't insistent. Let her live her own life, and didn't complain. Just loved her. Like her dog, Ralph. Just loved her.

And perhaps it shouldn't be any other way, when you found that one. Perhaps it shouldn't be any other way.

The End

Taylor 2

(For Taylor Swift)

Chapter One

'There is a heart in God. A heart eternal, a heart of love.'

'Your point,' said Taylor, turning from the set to look at Daniel her boyfriend.

'In this heart of Love, in the world of Destiny, there were matches made, partnerships, soulconnections, probably, more than soulmates. Soulmates at times, but the conclusion was not necessarily. Just someone who is meant to be there forever as well, a source of sibling affection, rather than, probably, romance in the end. Ambriel concluded as such. Let Meludiel alone in the end. Let her be. Torah, Israel's Torah, reminded him of sibling sex problems. Never quite got over that.'

'What the hell are you on about?' Asked Taylor, looking at him strangely.

'Steven is a hell of a guy.'

'Yes, uh, he is,' she said confused.

'But of all the children of God under the 7 heavens, he is NOT the one for you. He is your brother, your comforter, your strength. But being lovers is just weird.'

'Steven?'

'Your destiny soul mate. The angels of God communicate such things to me.'

She looked at him. 'You talk to Angels?'

'Sort of. They mainly talk to me. Telling me about Destiny, the heart and plans of God, which sometimes mirror reality, the real world. Like the 70 Pseudepigrapha as opposed to the Reality of the 24 Scripture Texts.'

'Huh?'

'Never mind.'

'Religion,' she said, with a smile on her face. 'It is not for a girl like me, Daniel. I like Jesus. But church is for yesteryear. A long time ago I grew up. I don't need that anymore.'

'Your values are set?'

She nodded. 'I write them all the time. They are my life story. My music. My history. Taylor Swift, unveiled to the world, for all to see.' She looked squarely at him. 'Who is your sister?'

'Kayella,' he responded.

She nodded. 'Nice name. Do you know who she is?'

'I have an idea,' and he said nothing more.

Chapter Two

She picked up the bone, and threw it down the pathway a little, and Ralph ran and grabbed it, returned to her, and was jumping around at her feet. 'Good boy,' she said, petting him.

Taylor was lonely. Daniel was gone. Off to Sydney for a few days. A miracle had happened. A publisher had found his website, asked him to come and see him about the potential of publishing his work in paperback to a much larger audience. This could be his break. His lucky break.

His books were – interesting. Sometimes very compelling. Sometimes very deep. But very sarcastic at times, which was not always her taste in things. But the latter works, now that she had read most of them, were more promising. Later on in the main saga, when it became 'The Angels Saga', there were far more colourful and deeper passages in his stories, were the characters seemed more alive than ever, more passionate, more purposeful, more real. More alive. His early work, so she felt, was him learning his trade. His new work, more professional. Probably, in truth, more publishable.

She slept with him now, from time to time. They had been very careful to start with. He didn't express any marriage ideas, and she never asked. But she liked him. Really, quite a lot. And those ideas in his books, about eternal life, and about eternal relationships – and about choosing them very, very carefully. And she felt, now, she had almost chosen him. That he was on a list, somewere in her heart, that she wouldn't quite get over. It might not ever really work out perfectly, but something might be there, in the end, when all was said and done.

Time would tell, she thought, as he said time and time again through his voluminous angelic saga.

Chapter Three

She was digging around in the garden, pulled up a toad, and looked at it.

'If I kiss you, dear old Froggy, will you turn into a handsome prince?'

A French accent responded. 'Madame Moiselle. Your prince is already here.'

She turned and there, in a most gay outfit, stood a man next to Daniel who had returned, dressed in bright yellow and pink, and looking ever the scene from yesteryear.

She stood, dusted off the dirt from her knees, and came over to see them. Daniel kissed her on the cheek and said 'This is Jacque. He is my publisher. We have a deal.'

She looked at the Frenchmen, who was gazing at her figure – quite obviously without hiding it – and took an instant disliking to him. What a jerk, she thought to herself.

'The deal?' she asked him, with eager eyes.

Jacque spoke. 'He will gain 35% for the first decade in royalties. After that we have options for renegotiating, depending on the success of the books.

'Oh,' she responded, disappointed. Daniel had wanted 45% as a minimum. 'So you are going to publish his stuff,' she asked him.

'Only if a maid as beautiful as yourself grants me the grace of her company at dinner this evening.'

Daniel spoke up. 'We are dining out later. You can come if you want.'

She eyed Jacque, who was quite obviously lusting after her, and almost said no, but to make sure nothing went wrong she said 'I'll put on my red dress. The one you like,' eyeing Jacque carefully.

That evening Jacque was all over her, yet Daniel said nothing.

'You seem so familiar,' he said with an elusive French accent. 'Like someone I know, but I just can't place.'

'I get that,' she responded, looking at the menu.

'Yes,' he continued. 'Somewhere. Somewhere I have met you. I am sure of it.' Daniel interrupted. 'Now, Taylor, I will be in Sydney for a while, available for editorial reasons for the book, and then there will be some advertising and some book signing duties. I have contributed quite a bit of my own finances for the advertising costs, which got me the deal, but the company has fitted over 90% of the real costs, including all publishing costs.

'How good is your market?' Taylor asked Jacque.

'Oh, we are a rather new publisher,' responded Jacque, with a business like look on his face. 'But the boss is a very experienced lady in the industry, and has high hopes about taking on some of the more offbeat types of fictional writings – things which just might hit a new niche. We liked Daniel's work. It's original. Angelic fantasy – not too much like his own style out there. There are comics and other things like him, but it is an underexploited market at the moment. We think his stuff has great potential.'

Taylor smiled, and touched Daniel's hand, smiling at him.

'You're an actor, aren't you?' Jacque asked her.

She shook her head. 'No, nothing like that,' she responded lying, for indeed she had been in movies.'

'MMmm,' he responded. 'I'll figure it out.'

They talked business for a while longer, and Jacque opened up more, and she found him, slowly, more tolerable. He was indeed a ladies man, but he did not push it too much. And Daniel seemed alive – glowing – in a new life. He finally had his breakthrough, and she couldn't possibly be happier for him. Not even one little bit.

Chapter Four

Taylor looked at the ring. The diamond, really, was impressive. How could she possibly say no to Daniel, beaming, down on his knees. She did, though. Say no. He didn't really complain, but accepted her decision quietly. He left it alone after that. She thought on that, his acceptance of her choice, his acceptance of her own decision, and made a little tick in her head of the things she was looking for, and left it at that.

THE END

Taylor: The End of the Dream

**NOTE: The divergence occurs at this point.**

But things, even the best hoped of things, don't always work out. And in this apocryphal world of other realities, God caused a conflux, which he would leave to Lord Apholox to resolve, and set Daniel down a differing road of life.

'Who is Michelle Bullock?' asked Taylor to Daniel.

'Oh. A Jehovah's Witness,' he responded.

'And you're fucking her, aren't you?' she said hotly.

'No. God what do you think I am?'

But Taylor didn't believe him.

It was cold then, between them, and Daniel never really understood. But life had suddenly and dramatically gone in a different direction and, what he was sure of, he no longer was. And Taylor, as quickly as he had come, had gone, and Daniel turned cold. Perhaps it was always in him, shielded. And perhaps a greater power knew that truth.

He went to the Jehovah's witnesses for a while, and told God what he thought of him. And God understood. And then he met Jenny Gilmore. And that worked for a while, and then it ended. And she wasn't the one either.

And then he was alone.

'Shut up Greg,' said Daniel to his brother.

'Your getting old, Danny. No kids. I mean, come on. Dad wanted you to have children.'

'I don't think I care, you know. Life is a fuck up for me. It promises the world, and delivers shit.'

'Your books are doing well,' said Gregory softly.

'Don't care,' he said.

'You still look ok. Come on, get it together. Get over Jenny Gilmore. She wasn't right for you. Mum didn't like her.'

'She doesn't approve of an Anglican for me. Just wants a Catholic, and I'm a Noahide.'

Greg somewhat agreed on that point. 'Look Dan. Don't give up. Life is strange. It takes you down one course, but because, you know, it has passions, it makes sudden choices. And we just have to accept that.'

'Then fuck life,' said Daniel.

'Dan,' said Greg softly.

Daniel, later on, picked up a copy of the Watchtower. The front cover read 'They mysteries of Jehovah are beyond all comprehension.'

'Yeh, that would be right,' said Daniel sarcastically, but read the article anyway.

He still thought on Taylor, but she had gone, and was back to her career. He still bought her albums and, now, had started going mad collecting everything under the sun. The garage was packed with all sorts of crap, which his mother some times objected to, because he was living at home again, but she put up with. He needed to – though – focus on something. His books were doing ok in selling, and while he spent it all on endless supplies of books and old expensive comics and CDs and DVDs and things, he put a healthy amount away in his superannuation account.

But still, that didn't fill the void. Life, it seemed, as much as he hated to admit it, had made other plans for the life of Daniel Daly. And he would just have to accept that, wether he liked it or not.

The End

Clearwater

Clearwater was a quiet town, south of Dalgety in New South Wales Australia, a town in many ways, except it only had one house, and one resident. Clearwater was a sign, written in green letters, on the fence of the abode, perhaps a sign of happiness within. Perhaps.

Sandra was the resident of Clearwater. She was 20, her father dying last year, leaving her the house. Her mother had died in her childbirth. Sandra was unemployed, had spent her days since leaving school taking care of her elderly father, who was now dead, and Sandra, with about 10 thousand dollars left in her inheritance, an old Holden, and a home, was wondering about her future most days. What would she do?

She had blossomed late in her teens, and was now moderately attractive. But a boy had not known her, and she was not overly given to them. Not a lesbian, by any means, but no real passions of heart. No real passions of anything, really.

Like the warm summer, her personality was warm and friendly, but with no spark of activity, no spark of direction, no spark of purpose. Simply a warm, happy, energy, which flowed with things. Which had followed her fathers simple ways, and not worried. Not cared, really.

But it couldn't go on, could it. Things would have to change, wouldn't they? Wouldn't they?

10 years later, another centrelink form for job applications, not that she ever tried. Simply the same two job applications in Dalgety town, one for receptionist, one for publican, and they still couldn't take her. Cooma centrelink didn't complain. They knew her situation. They didn't mind.

She was simple, now. Part of the community in some ways, but she lived the solitary life. Not much, ever, really doing. She swam in the snowy in summer, in her bikini, down the road a little. She occasionally watched the cricket in Dalgety, a live match, but never bothered with the Rugby League. She had a meal in the pub about twice a year, but apart from that shopped in did nothing else, cept Cooma occasionally to buy some new clothes.

Mostly she slept on her bed, watched her soaps on the same tube tv her father had owned, ocasionally watched one of the video casettes they owned, which were old now, and had been used a lot, and not much else. Often, in the afternoons, when the sun was low, she would be on the rocker out the front, watching the haze of summer, watching the sheep in the paddock opposite, waiting. For what, she never really knew. But she was waiting.

He walked by, not much later, in track pants, sneakers, and a t-shirt. He saw her and asked for water. She didn't mind.

'I'm having an episode,' he said. 'The worst is over, but I still feel a bit messed up. I was at the river all night. Its not as bad as when I was younger.'

'Your psychotic?' she asked him.

Daniel nodded. 'A schizophrenic,' he responded.

'I understand,' she said. 'My sister had been a psychotic. She killed herself.'

'I'm sorry,' he said.

'Don't be. It wasn't your fault. Besides, I hated her. She was hell to live with.'

'Sorry,' he responded.

She looked at him. He looked a bit older, not sure how old really, could have been in his 40s or even 50s, but he seemed youthful in some ways.

'Were do you live?' she asked him.

'In Cooma. I moved there last year. Bought a home with my superannuation.'

'Oh. So your retired,' she said.

'Uh, sort of. I turned 60 last year. Got my payment. Bought a house.'

'Oh. You don't look that old. 50, maybe. But not much older.'

'Thanks,' he said.

She looked at him again. 'Do you want to stay the night? I rarely get company. Not really anybody at all since dad died. My cousin from Sydney. Just once. Nobody else.'

'Umm. Yeh, I guess so. I was going to see were the road went, but sure, I'd love to stay. Thanks.'

He came in. She gave him some of her dad's clothes to change into. He showered, and they had dinner. She cooked bacon and eggs.

He was cute.

He never left.

The End

Clearwater: Shadows

(Clearwater Saga Volume 2)

Sandra sat on the rocker, in the cool of the afternoon, the long shadows of the poplars covering her. She stared out westwards, at the fields, relaxed. Happy. She had a man. She now had a man.

Daniel was an older soul. A calm soul for the most part, and he had come down from his high, started wearing her father's clothing, and then slept in her old room, and just stayed. Just stayed. They talked, smalltalk to start with,but he gradually started opening up. And so did she. He was a man with a shadowy past, so he claimed. 'Not one of dark deeds, Sandra,' he had said. 'But of a dark heart. A broken heart.'

'What do you mean?'

'Bitter times. Till I moved to Cooma. Then a spirit returned to my life. And the shadows disappeared, and I was so excited I was psychotic again. Which brought me here.'

'So the shadows saved me,' she said.

He couldn't help but smile.

She sat there, that afternoon, in the shadows of the poplars, thinking. He had a place, in Cooma, and had invited her to see it. They would have to take the bus, which was how she got to Cooma. But she didn't mind. His place was like him. Calm. Gentle colours, soft environment, nothing harsh or jagged jutting out to upset you. Like a step back in timme 20 years or so. A lot like her place in many ways. He had books. Thousands of books. And thousands of comics and CDs and DVDs. All around the house in bookcases sprawled everywhere. He was an information culture junkie. He had said so himself. But she didn't mind. And an updated decade of movies she hadn't seen seemed a wonderful idea.

'What are these books?' she asked, about the collection of about 50 books with his name on them.

'The published works so far of the Chronicles of the Children of Destiny. A saga about the children and angels of God.'

'Your an author,' she said.

He nodded.

'Mmmm.'

He showed her the rest of his house, and finally the bedrooms.

'Nice quilt. Angels,' she said.

He smiled.

'Do you want to watch a movie?'

She followed him to the loungeroom, and they sat there, together, watching Twilight, which she was now finally seeing.

She had a good time.

The following morning she awoke to the sun streaming through the window. She was in the guest room. They had been together 3 months. They hadn't slept together yet. She was still a virgin, anyway. He was conservative. She showered in the ensuite, and coming through to the kitchen she found a plate of fried bacon, eggs and tomato sitting on the table, hot by the looks of it, with toast and orange juice sitting next to it. Daniel suddenly appeared, coming through the back door.

'Eat up,' he said. 'I bought it all fresh this morning.'

She smiled and hooked into the breakfast.

'You want to do anything today ?' he asked her, when they were back in the lounge room, watching TV.

She looked at him. 'You have thousands of DVDs and CDs. I could stay here forever.'

He smiled. 'Then we'll keep it simple.'

And so Sandra stayed with Daniel. A whole year. She went back to Clearwater just once to check everything was ok, but then remained with Daniel. But they didn't sleep together. Not yet anyway.

And Sandra found no shadows in Daniel's heart, and she was content, and she was at peace.

The End

Clearwater: Legacies

(Clearwater Saga Volume 3)

'Not so much, anymore. I had a lot of bitter years. Were God was there, and I knew he was there, but I didn't speak to him much. I didn't have much heart left. There was Kirstie, like I was telling you about. And I slept with her, and another girl called Jenny. And Jenny lives not far from here. And then there was Taylor. Oh God. Taylor. She was too much for me. Too expensive for Danny Daly.'

'Too expensive.'

'I would tell you who she was, but you wouldn't believe me.'

'Try me,' said Sandra.

'She went missing for a few years. Lived inTuggeranong with me. A famous US country singer. I was about to be published at the time, and I thought the world was coming to me. It never worked out. The dream died, and I went into a spiral downwards. I'm only now climbing out of it.'

'Jenny Gilmore?' asked Sandra.

'Yes,' said Daniel. 'You know her?'

'I know her,' said Sandra.

Later on Sandra was looking at Daniel's CD collection. 'Is this her?' she asked him, showing him a Taylor Swift CD with a love note from Taylor to Daniel written in it. He nodded.

'Does she keep in touch?'

'No. I haven't heard from her since she left. Don't know if I ever will again. Maybe one day, beyond death, in heaven. Maybe one day. We were in love for a while. It didn't work out. Life throws you a curveball. And the legacies of love I have left behind me have resulted in many bitter tears. Michelle took me to the Kingdom Hall. The Jehovah's Witness place, and I let God know I was miserable. And when Taylor left me, I swore at him in that place, softly. Called him a bastard. His spirit said I was forgiven. Said he understood. I didn't care. I didn't want to be forgiven. I respected Michelle. She was a fabulous girl, a great witness for God, but I couldn't stomach it then. What Jehovah had did in my life. The way he had led women to me, and I hadn't even been responsible with them, but I liked them, and then came Taylor, and I blew that. And I never forgave him. Even now I hurt.'

'But now you have me,' said Sandra, smiling at him.

'Now I have you,' he said, and smiled at her. It was a feint smile, but he came over, touched her shoulder, and she knew he meant it. He did have her. And she had him. And whatever crazy destiny Daniel had been through, she was just grateful that Taylor Swift, of all people, hadn't gotten her man. For she was starting to have feelings for him, and starting to find her place in the world. And if she had Michelle Bullock to thank for sorting her man out, who seemed to now be getting over his dark years, settled, a place of his own, looking more like a grown up mature citizen, then she was grateful to God for that small mercy.

She put on the Taylor Swift CD, and put on the song 'Love Story.'

It felt deep, longing, and she felt Daniel in it. And she knew she might have broken a heart, long ago, for Sandra knew Daniel was her own love story. A love story, now, she might never let go of. A love story which would, maybe, change her life forever. Just maybe. Just maybe.

The End

Clearwater: Continuity

(Clearwater Saga Volume 4)

He stayed. Perhaps, if anything else was true about Daniel that she hadn't yet figured out, one thing definitely was. He was faithful. He stayed.

They were at Clearwater again, and they spent hazy summer days and hot summer nights, together. And then they married. And she was still young. And then she was pregnant.

'Can we call him Callodyn?' he asked her.

'The angel. Like you. From your books?' she asked.

He nodded. 'I've always wanted to call my son Callodyn. Callodyn Gabriel Daniel Daly.'

'Then that is what it will be,' said Sandra.

Callodyn was born, and soon he was toddling around, in nappies still, for he shat a lot, and Daniel doted on him. And Sandra was happy. She thought it was funny, in a way. How life seemed to end up working when she really did nothing to make it work. But she couldn't. It wasn't in her. The drive. The notion to go out there, with passion, and make something of her life. She wasn't like that, and she knew that. She sort of, instead, just let life happen. Take her were it will. Go with the flow of it all. But, in that small faith she had in life, it seemed, now, to work out anyway. Perhaps that small, quiet trust in life, that there is bigger picture she didn't yet understand, and which she perhaps would just call God now, was all she needed. Simple, honest, trust.

'Can we listen to this?' asked Daniel, picking out an old Slim Dusty record which was in a sealed plastic sleeve.

'It was one of dad's,' she said. 'He won it down at the pub one night. He never opened it.'

'As good as time as any,' responded Daniel.

Sandra took the record from Daniel, opened it up, and put it on the record player. Solid country from Slim. You could rely on him for that.

They sat, quietly, listening to it for a while. The summer air in the house was warm, but it was twilight, and had cooled down a bit after a hot day. And she sat there, on the couch, and Daniel came over and sat next to her, and she put her head on his leg, and sat there, quietly.

'Life has a funny way of working out, doesn't it Daniel,' she said.

He didn't respond.

'I didn't go looking for you. But you found me.'

'And I wasn't looking for you,' he said. 'But I found you.'

'And it all works out,' she said again.

Callodyn toddled in, and went over to the record player.

'He's not going to touch it,' said Sandra.

Callodyn started dancing a little to the music, and suddenly gave the record player a big shove, and the record skipped ahead to a new song.

'No, I'm sure he's not,' grinned Daniel.

Sandra laughed.

They were quite, gentle times. And she was getting older, now. She was still young, married to a mature man, but she felt, strangely, very old in many other ways. Probably the country attitude in her she felt. But it was a dreamworld, which had never really changed, living in Clearwater, at the edge of the world, away from everyone. A quiet, sedate life, were calmness was the order of the day. Perhaps, knowing her husband, that was what he needed most anyway. Perhaps, in Sandra, he had found his salvation. Quiet, gentle, sedate. Peaceful. The calming life of the country environment.

It was continuity. That was what it was. Continuity in the life of Sandra, were nothing changed much, except, perhaps, the natural way of things. The nature of the world, saying, when it was time, you didn't have to make it happen. It just happened anyway. And she found contenment in that.

'Daniel. I'll love you forever,' she said, as Slim crooned along.

He held her, and whispered, 'Me too.'

And all was good.

The End


End file.
